Electric-circuit controller.



R. CONNELL1' ELECTRIC CIRCUIT CONTROLLER.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 15. 1911.

Patented N 0V1. 21, 1916.

' HIM L -2 52 jisizzfig 2 fllj24 25 3 29 1-6 17 "15 25 5 I2 51 i c:: g

WITNESSES 9 5 INVENTOR QzcM,K60/17,u

' UNITED ROY CONNELL, 0F WESTFIELD, NEW :J'ERSEY.

ELECTRIC-CIRCUIT CONTROLLER.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented N 21, 1916,

Application filed. December 15, 1911. Serial No. 666,004.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, For CoNNnLL, a citizen of the United States, residing at \Vestfield, in the county of Union and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Electric-Circuit Controller, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in electric circuit closers or more properly thermo electric circuit closers and the object of my improvements is to provide an'inexpensive and thoroughly reliable instrument of that character. I attain these objects by the mechanism described in the following specification and illustrated'in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a vertical section of the device, Fig. 2, a top view of the device, showing certain parts in dotted lines, and Fig. 3, also a vertical section showing certain parts in position difiering from those in Fig. 1. Similar letters denote similar parts in the several views.

The thermo-electric circuit controller is composed of a cup shaped member 1, of metal which is covered with flexible diaphragm 2, a similar cup 3, is located above the cup 1, and is also covered with a flexible diaphragm 4, these cups 1, and 3, are mounted a suitable distance apart and held by the supports 5, 6,7 and 8, only 5 and 6, being shown on Figs. 1 and 3. The cup 3 is in verted above the cup 1, so that the diaphragms 2, and 4, are directly opposite each other.

The diaphragms 2 and 4, are soldered to their respective cups, or may be otherwise sealed in place. The cup 1, which I will call the operating chamber is filled with air or other fluid and is supplied with a heating member 9, which may be a carbon or metal conductor best suited for the purpose, this conductor 9, is attached to the terminals 10, and 11,. which are sealed in the insulating plug 12, the plug 12, being in turn sealed in lug 13, of the cup 1.

The heating conductor 9, may be of any desirable shape, of one loop, or of a number of loops, but must be of such resistance that the operating current will cause a predetermined rise of temperature in the conductor. To prevent the conductor 9, from sagging and coming in contact with the cup 1, an insulating lining 14, is provided on the inside of the cup 1.

On the upper side of diaphragm 2, is mounted the insulating lug 15, this lug 15, connects with the contact finger 16, by means of the pivot 17, and the ears 18 which project downward from the finger 16. A similar insulating lug 19, is mounted on the under side of the diaphragm 4, which covers the cup 3, forming what I will call the compensating chamber which is also filled with air or otherfiuid, this lug 19, is pivoted to the arm 20, which arm swings on the pin 21, mounted in the insulating bushings 22, which are located in the brackets 23, of the supports 5', and 7. A linlr 24, connects the end of the arm 20 with the contact finger 16, the extreme end of the finger 16, is con nected by the flexible conductor 25, to the insulated terminal 26, which is fixed in the insulating bushing 27, mounted inthe lug 28, of'eup 3.

The opposite end of finger 16 rests normally on the contact 29, which is fixed in the'insulating bushing 30, mounted in the lug 31, of cup 1. A similar contact 32, is fixed above the contact 29, in the insulating bushing 33, mounted in the lug 34, of the on 3. The finger 16 with the arm 20, and lin: 24, comprises a compensating device which insures the contact finger 16, being always inengagement with the lower contact 29, during changes of temperature which affect both operating chamber 1, and 3, alike, that is, if the normal temperature of the interior of both chambers is say and is raised to say 70, the diaphragm 2,

of chamber 1, will move upward and the diaphragm 4 will move downward an equal distance see F ig. 3, but owing to the proportion of the levers of the compensating device the point of contact between the finger 16, and the contact 29, becomes the fulcrum therefore the opposite end of finger 16 will be raised thus insuring proper operations of the circuit controller for all changes or" temperature that occur, except such a change caused by the heating element in the operating chamber 1.

The operation of the circuit controller is as follows: Assuming all parts to be in the normal positions as shown in Fig. 1, and that a local circuit is connected with the terminal 26, and the contact 29, it is obvious that this local circuit is held closed between the finger 16, and contact 29. If a change of temperature affecting both chambers 1, and 3, occurs the parts will assume a position similar to that shown in Fig. 3, but if an electric current of suitable strength is passed through the heating conductor 9, of chamber 1, the diaphragm 2, only will be expanded causing the finger 16 to move up breaking the circuit at 29, and engage the contact 32, thus closing a local circuit from terminal 26, to contact 32, through the same finger 16. This rise of temperature in the operating chamber 1, will expand the diaphragm 2, approximately the same distance whether the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 1, or Fig. 3, the dotted line 16 in the Figs. 1, and 3, indicate the position of the finger 16 after being operated by the diaphragm 2.

To cause a'current to flow through the heating conductor 9, it is only necessary to connect the terminals 10, and 11, in an electric circuit, the control of the said circuit being efiected by any suitable means, not shown. This circuit closer or controller may be used for various purposes but is particularly adapted to use in railway signaling and may there be employed to advantage. It can be used as a slow acting relay, as a time release, as a time lock, as an indicator, as a repeater, and as various other devices well known to those familiar with the art. It has the advantage of being small, compact, simple, and durable, it has no magnets or delicate pivots, and is not susceptible to injury by lightning as there are no inductive windings employed. It can be subjected to rough handling owing to its rugged construction and the contact finger is very powerfully moved or held in contact.

It should be understood-that as it requires a second or two to move the contact finger from the lower contact to the upper contact after current is passed through the heating element it will requ re the same time interval to again restore the finger after current is cut 011'.

I am aware that thermo-electric circuit controllers have been used prior to this invention but I. am not aware that the temperature compensating means herein shown has ever before been employed.

What I therefore claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1. In a circuit controller the combination of two sealed expansible chambers mounted on a supporting frame, arcontact located on each of the said chambers, a contact finger mounted on one of said chambers and in engagement with the contact of said chamber, means mounted on the other said chamber and actuated thereby and connecting with the said contact finger, for preventing the saidfinger moving away from the contact which it engages by a change of temperature without the said chambers and expanding means located within the first named chamber for causing the said contact finger to move away from the contact which it engages and to engage the contact of the second named chamber.

2. In a circuit controller the combination of two sealed chambers each having an expansible cover, a contact finger connected with the cover of one of the said chambers, a contact suitably located and engaging the said contact finger, means within the said chamber for expanding its cover and causing the contact finger to disengage the said contact and means connected with the cover of the other chamber and with the contact finger for preventing a movement of the said finger by a change of temperature without the chambers.

3. In a circuit controller the combination of two expansible chambers, a contact finger movably connected with one of the 'said chambers, means within the chamber for expanding the chamber and moving the finger, and means connected with the other chamber and with the contact finger for preventing a movement of the finger when both chambers are simultaneously expanded.

4. In a circuit controller the combination of two sealed chambers each having an expansible cover, said cover adapted to move equally when the chambers are subjected simultaneously to the same change of temperature, a contact, a movable finger engaging the contact located between and connected with the covers of both chambers, so that simultaneous equal expansion of the chambers will prevent the finger moving away from said contact, means located within one of said chambers for causing a greater change of temperature within said chamber than exists within the other chamber, and for causing a movement of the finger away from said contact.

5. In a circuit controller the combination of chambers with expansible covers, con- .tacts, a contact finger operatively connected 6. In a circuit controller "the combination between thetwo chambers and cause a movement of the finger with relation to the. con- 19 tact.

ROY OONNELL.

Witnesses:

OSCAR V. BARGER, J 01m MOORE. v 

